top of page
Search

ADAPTATIONS ON FILM AND TV: MULAN

  • Writer: Travis Maxwell
    Travis Maxwell
  • Jul 12, 2025
  • 16 min read


Appendix 1a: Mulan, live-action and animated films, (1998-2020)
Appendix 1a: Mulan, live-action and animated films, (1998-2020)

To what extent are myths and legends reinterpreted and made relevant every time they are adapted?

The Ballad of Mulan is of an unknown ancient origin. Scholars believe it originated as a folksong in the Xianbei culture of the Northern Wei 386-534 AD. The Ballad of Mulan is deemed a good representation of Northern Yueh-Fu, both style and content of northern ballads reflect the difficult lives northerners led due to political upheaval and foreign influences of the region, the North’s death and violence serves to contrast the soft world of the South. Northern ballads tended to possess straightforward dramatic narratives and references to local social norms. Whereas, Southern ballads were exquisite, possessing classic influences. Northern ballads portrayed women as tough, differing from the fragility and gentle depictions of the ballads from the South. Mulan embodies the Northern style; she is not delicate but dramatic in a Northern way (Hsieh, Matoush, pp. 215-16). The poem detailed the story of Mulan, a woman that answers the imperial draft order in her father’s stead, and purchases a horse, bridle, saddle, and whip. Riding off to fight against the Rouran Khaganate invaders (Ching, 2020). Mulan has since transcended its origin of song, being a folktale adapted to picture books and, as will be discussed, animated and live-action films, where it has changed and evolved past its primitive origins as a northern ballad of ancient China (Hsieh, Matoush, p.216).


Fidelity

A mode of persistent discourse within adaptation studies is “fidelity”, in other words, how faithful a work is to its original counterpart. Originating from a perceived hierarchy, of which cinema was seen as “low brow” and less sophisticated than literary works, thus fidelity was seen as the determiner of a film’s quality (Aragay, 2005, p.12). However, scholars would challenge the tiresome criterion of “fidelity”, such as Christopher Orr, who criticised fidelity for impoverishing the intertextuality of film by merely reducing it to a single pre-text (the literary source), whilst ignoring other pre-texts and codes (cinematic and cultural) “that contribute to making the filmic text intelligible.” Adaptation Scholar John Ellis argues that a successful adaptation replaces the cultural memory of the novel; he does not assume that all viewers have read the source text, so the narrow and formalistic concept of fidelity is replaced by the “… more productive, culturally constructed notion of the successful adaptation” (Aragay, 2005, pp. 19-20). Fidelity critiques can arise from thwarted expectations, dichotomous thinking; presuming a rivalry between literature and film, or the lamenting of what is discarded in translation between mediums, rather than what is gained, but as George Bluestone argues, change is “inevitable”, once adapted to another medium (Bluestone cited in Aragay) (Aragay, 2005, p.13; Hutcheon, O’Flynn, 2013, p.4; Stam, Raengo, 2004, pp. 3-4).


Thus, this essay will aim to answer how the adaptations of Mulan are reinterpreted by Disney and presented to a Western audience, and to what effect, rather than their fidelity. The essay will consider the adaptations additions and their engagement with Chinese culture, race, and feminism, as these are prominent issues both Mulan (1998) and Mulan (2020) engage with.  


Mulan (1998)

Disney’s Mulan (1998) marked a departure in princess-centric storytelling; however, it remains a ‘princess’ movie for marketing purposes. Mulan (1998) tells the story of a woman aptly named Mulan, who impersonates a man named “Ping” to join the Chinese military in place of her ailing father. She uses her intelligence and bravery to save the kingdom and outsmart her antagonists. Deviating from cliché narratives of the beautiful yet fragile royal woman who spends her time lollygagging until “prince charming’s deliverance.” Instead, she was brave, resourceful, and not descended from royalty. Prof. Zhuoyi Wang states, “As Disney’s first Asian hero, Mulan felt like “a life raft” to young Chinese American theatregoers who had only ever seen Asian characters portrayed marginally and discriminatively...” (Wang, 2021, pp. 1-2).


Disney’s storytelling improvements were made within the context of the third-wave feminist movement, originating in the “riot grrrl” punk subculture of the early 1990s. The grrrls of the third-wave feminism movement would define feminine beauty outside of the sexist objectification of the patriarchy. Bikini Kill pioneered the “riot grrrl” movement, publishing a zine titled “girl power”, which was later adopted and popularised by the British girl group “the Spice Girls”, reshaping Western pop culture. Mulan joined the changing tide of female narratives, through this, one can observe that Mulan engaged with feminist dialogue, remaining relevant in the process. However, Mulan remains marred with gender biases and cultural appropriation; only considered a feminist success by Disney’s standards (2).


Feminism

Shakira Begum argues that Mulan is the story of a woman who must shed her femininity in order to become accepted into a male-dominated world, seen when Mulan cuts her hair, dresses as a man, and adopts a male alias (Begum, 2022, p.210; Mulan, 1998). Begum identifies the existence of nonprogressive and sexist language within the film; language that is discriminatory, aiding in the perpetuation of stereotypical and negative views surrounding sex. For example, Chi Fu uses his male status to assert authority over a woman, stating, “Silence! You will do well to teach your daughter to hold her tongue in a man's presence.” This commands one gender to do something against their will, as well as revokes their ability to speak by ignoring them, and addressing them indirectly through their father. Language in Mulan is androcentric, meaning an “implicit or explicit linguistic bias against the feminine”, in other words, it is treating men as gender-neutral and women as gender-specific (Begum, 2022, p.209; Martin, Papadelos, 2016, p.40; Harris, 2017; Bailey, LaFrance, Dovidio, 2020, p.1). An example of androcentric language features in the song, “Make a Man out of You”, shown when Captain Li Shang asks, “Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?” and promises to “make a man out of you”, attributing qualities like “swiftness”, “strength” and the ability to overcome the Huns to the masculine, thereby excluding the feminine. Whereas in the scene with the matchmaker, women are practicing pouring tea, in other words, servitude, and are expected to possess these virtues to be a good bride, “quiet”, “demure”, “graceful”, “polite”, “refined” and “punctual”, these passive qualities are attributed to the feminine, which is implicitly sexist  (Mulan, 1998; King, Lugo-Lugo, Bloodsworth-Lugo, 2010, p.100).


A study conducted by Begum analysed the Disney adaptations of Mulan and The Little Mermaid, finding that women receive sexist comments at a higher frequency in all sexist language categories. It also found sexist language used against men, but the sexist language that women used tended to be false perceptions based on how they believed men perceived women, rather than biases or assumptions based on what they thought men wanted, needed, or liked. The sexist comments made by men hold greater weight when considering gender inequality, as comments made by women are not readily accepted as the norm nor do they remove male privilege or status. Additionally, Begum found despite Mulan possessing a female lead that men comprise 75% of the dialogue; seemingly counter-intuitive when considering its supposed target demographic of young girls (see appendix) (Begum, 2022, pp. 210-222). Additionally, despite Mulan’s portrayal as a woman that challenges traditional gender norms, not her strong individualism, heroism, nor her victory against the Hun invasion is the payoff of the film. Instead, it is winning a man and bowing down to heteronormativity. Mulan’s return home is arguably undercut by having the captain that spared her life (after finding out she was a woman) seek her out, as this follows the status quo of the woman needing saved by a man or requiring a male love interest (King, Lugo-Lugo, Bloodsworth-Lugo, 2010, p.102; King, Lugo-Lugo, Bloodsworth-Lugo, 2010, p.166; Mulan, 1998).


Disney & Orientalism

Disney adaptations have provoked concern, regarding their capability of supplanting “more culturally authoritative narratives”, and the perception of cultures, whether intentionally, or not. Once a story is adapted by Disney, films like Mulan become understood as Disney fairy tales, despite their adoption of readily available folklore, which are not originally fairy tales as understood within a Western literary context. Nevertheless, the cultural legacy or history of a narrative is disregarded to produce a certain type of story and narrative arc, to fall in line with the audience’s expectations of a “Disney production.” Thus, the corporation leaves its mark on the narrative’s legacy and thereby warps the understanding of the source material and its characters once it is under the Disney umbrella (Anjirbag, 2018, pp. 2-3). Disney adaptations are accused of creating orientalist films; orientalism is the Western lens through which the East is created, defined, and othered. Such constructions become the identifiable representation of those who embody the culture(s) enveloped by the constructed definition. Thus, diversity can be constructed and tailored to fit within a certain culture’s worldview and can serve to silence or impede the one being represented from asserting agency (Anjirbag, 2018, p.3). Characters like Mulan are superimposed with “artificial whiteness”; given the agency to explore a kind of individualism to gain acceptance in mainstream culture and “U.S. citizenship.” Whereas, white characters don’t have to “perform individualism” (King, Lugo-Lugo, Bloodsworth-Lugo, 2010, p.103).  


Michelle Anjirbag states,  “… It remains important to talk about the power dynamics involved when a company such as Disney decides to tell stories from outside its own sphere, rooted in Western, Anglo-American, conservative-leaning hegemonic culture.” Furthermore, an attraction to commodifying diversity is due to the success such efforts garner, as it offers a new and satisfying way of doing and feeling; in essence, “…ethnicity becomes spice that can liven up the dull dish that is mainstream white culture” (Bell Hooks cited in Anjirbag). Mulan is a part of that “seasoning” on the “hegemonic status quo.” Western culture relies on binaries of “white” and “colour” to express diversity, but the conversations surrounding the positionality of individuals of different ethic or cultural backgrounds is swept aside by binary thinking, as its to assume that all people of a particular group hold the same opinions, and such assumptions are dehumanising and harmful, yet relied upon to showcase diversity in Western media (Anjirbag, 2018, p.3).


Narrative & Cultural Changes

Adapting a poem to a feature-length film came with numerous changes, such as the addition of Mushu, the charismatic dragon played by Eddie Murphey, loosely named after a pork dish served at American Chinese restaurants, a “lucky” cricket companion, the matchmaker, and love interest Captain Li Shang (Hsieh, Matoush, pp. 218-19; Marrian, 2020; Mulan, 2020). The location of the film is obscured, enabling the implementation of multiple historical periods to extend the runtime, such as the Great Wall of the Qin Dynasty (248-206 B.C.). Shan-Yu living in the Han Dynasty (202 B.C. to 220 A.D.), and the film evokes the Imperial City, established in 1420. The ‘Tung Shao Pass,’ an important location within the film, derives its name from two famous fortresses, ‘Tong Pass’ and ‘Xiao Pass’ (Hsieh, Matoush, 2012, p.219).


Mulan’s time spent in war is reduced from twelve years to a few battles (Marrian, 2020). The character Mushu differs from the serious holy dragon of Chinese culture and Europe’s ferocious dragons. Instead, was made small and comedic to appeal to a Western audience yet kept his holy status as the family’s guardian. However, the image of the dragon is reserved for the emperor in Chinese culture (Hsieh, Matoush, 2012, p.219; Jia, 2021, p.392). The role of the matchmaker differed historically from what is portrayed within the film; their role involved interacting with the possible bride-to-be and the man’s family to gain permission for marriage, and accounting for the zodiac sign, date, and time of birth. Additionally, the soldiers would not be motivated by love quests like knights in European fairy tales (Hsieh, Matoush, 2012, p.219; Lily, 2022). Mulan’s self-sacrifice for the sake of filial piety (a guiding principle of the parent-child relationship, demanding sincere respect and moral obedience) is dismissed and reinterpreted in a Eurocentric way. Haoyin Hsieh and Marylou M. Matoush state, “…’finding oneself’ is a modern American concept and a noble goal from a Western perspective, but conflicts with East Asian perspectives regarding the more communal nature of the self” (Hsieh, Matoush, 2012 p.219; Yin, 2011, p.65). Mulan dawns unnatural and heavy bright makeup to express her femininity. In ancient China, women were unable to wear bright colours, or they risked being perceived as frivolous. Red and purple were considered holy and noble, therefore, Mulan would be forbidden from dawning said colours. However, animation as a medium implements exaggerated colours to influence the emotions of the audience or to accentuate specific details. For example, the character “Yao” is a short man with Napoleon syndrome, and dawns solely red outfits, a colour commonly associated with anger, whereas “Chien Pao” is a gentle giant, dawning blue, a colour commonly associated with relief and contentment  (Jia, 2021, p.391; Christine Mohr, 2022; Mulan, 1998).


Reception

Mulan failed upon its 1999 release in China, being referred to as “Yang Mulan” (foreign Mulan) by Chinese theatregoers. Mulan’s titular character was criticised for being too “individualistic”, “self-aggrandising”, and “Americanised”; criticised for the distinct lack of principles present in Confucianism, such as, “modesty”, “community”, and “filial piety” (Wang, 2021, p.9). Various scholars criticised the film’s orientalist views and its mishandling of Chinese culture. Arguments were raised regarding the perpetuation of Western supremacy under the guise of feminism. Scholar Wei Djao argued the film trivialised the Chinese’s peoples cultural heritage. Chyng Feng Sun argued the portrayal of feminism was a mere façade maintained at the expense of Chinese culture via “… negatively projecting difference”, and Mulan’s heroism is earned through the portrayal of a sexist China (Ying, 2011, p.64). Ironically, this orientalist view of China and arguably soft-core feminism does not threaten white males but condenses the issue of sexism to a narrow region and categorises it as a non-Western issue, attributing sexism as a Chinese issue, an issue of culture (Wang, 2021, p.9). Additionally, Mushu has been criticised for “racialised anthropomorphism”, Janet Wasko describes this as the process through which Disney anthropomorphises animal characters and “provides stereotypical representations of gender and ethnicity”, in this instance Mushu speaks with the “…cadence and vocabulary that U.S. mainstream society associates with twenty-first-century African Americans” (Wasko cited in Bloodsworth-Lugo) (King, Lugo-Lugo, Bloodsworth-Lugo, 2010, p.37; King, Lugo-Lugo, Bloodsworth-Lugo, 2010, p.100).


Mulan (2020)

Mulan (2020) is a live-action adaptation that refers to the “The Ballad of Mulan” as its inspiration, rather than the picture book by Robert D. San Souci the animated film is based upon (Abbott, 2020). The film implemented several changes, notably the admission of “Mushu”, who is replaced with the Phoenix, the removal of popular songs, the addition of pseudo-superpowers in the form of chi/qi, and most prominent, the change to a wuxia-fu style film, with wire-fu sequences (Barber, 2020). The live-action film attempts to be more faithful to the original ballad, concerned with fidelity, but at times, fails in understanding Chinese concepts (Mulan, 2020).


Narrative & Cultural Changes

The focus on fidelity is apparent given the referral to the antagonists as Rourans and not Huns, showcasing a greater focus on “faithfulness” to the original poem (Ching, 2020). The removal of Mushu the dragon (an image reserved for the emperor) in favour of the phoenix, a symbol of blending both male and female identities is arguably more relevant to the plot and culturally aware (Hsieh, Matoush, 2012, p.219; Gallagher). The scene with Mulan cutting her hair is removed, as in ancient China one’s body is seen as “gifted from your parents.” Meaning one had no right to damage a part of it, so hair was not cut. This focus on familial importance is shown in the replacement sword Mulan receives at the end of the film, the Chinese characters spelling out, “Fidelity”, “Bravery”, “Integrity”, and “filial piety” (Zhao, 2020).


Similar to the prior Disney adaptation, it contains European narratives, such as witches, dark magic, and fatal duels. The addition of chi is implemented awkwardly if the aim is to be accurate to Chinese culture. Chi is treated as a force,  rather than what it is, which is “life energy” that flows through the body in a network of meridians, which is the basis of Chinese medical practices like acupuncture. In Daoist belief, if one can cultivate and harness their chi, they are able to attain supernatural abilities, but chi is physiological and key to sustaining life, rather than something akin to witchcraft (Berkowsky, 2014; Zhao, 2020). Key components of the narrative were changed, such as Mulan’s affinity for combat and gifted status, the film starts with Mulan practicing martial arts, an immediate departure from the source material that opens with Mulan in a weaving room, and the 1998 adaptation that opens to a traditional Chinese inkbrush painting. Mulan was not gifted, rather she was a typical woman of her time and had to train to reach her accomplishments (typical of Eastern narratives), whereas 2020 Mulan instead struggles with concealing her chi, so as not to be ousted as a witch. However, women were not persecuted for this, in China, it is more likely she would be persecuted for being a “fox spirit” (Huli Jing). Moreover, the usage of magic was not forbidden, as only “harmful magic” was punished (Zhao, 2020; Zhao, 2020). The setting also differs. Mulan lives in a Southern Tulou (an earthen building, built by minority Hakka people), conveying cultural mistakes in space and time (Yali, Kaiju, 2021, p.84; Zhao, 2020). Furthermore, the costumes are inaccurate; Mulan’s bun hairstyle is from the Tang dynasty, and she dawns makeup resembling Japanese geisha, an outfit resembling Hanfu, but simultaneously possessing the tube top style of the Tang dynasty and a forehead pattern mocked by theatregoers for resembling the logo of a Chinese phone brand (Yali, Kaiju, 2021, p.85). Xiran Zhao attributes the cultural misappropriation to having a white director, costume designer, and four screenwriters. Similarly, the directors (Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook) for the animated feature were also white (IMDb, 1998; Zhao, 2020).

 

Reception

The film garnered criticism for bowing to Chinese censors, thanking the “public security bureau of Turpan” who are responsible for the incarceration and re-education of Muslim Uighurs, and for main actor Liu Yifei’s appraisal of Hong Kong’s police, who have committed acts of police brutality against protestors, all culminating in an attempt to cancel the film. The Chinese tradition of “gǔ wéi jīn yòng” (“use the past to serve the present”), which has been exercised to remove the proto-Mongolic Xianbei identity of Mulan, in place of the dominant Han identity and their subservience to censors, contradicts the supposed authentic retelling of Mulan (Young, 2020; BBC, 2020). Additionally, the film received criticism for multicultural misappropriation; the act of taking something, without showing respect or an understanding. Elements like Mulan’s home and outfit are stripped off context and embedded with historical inaccuracies. The rewriting imposes the perspective and values of the dominant culture (Western) on the dominated culture(s), without allowing them their own perspective or facts, in essence othering the dominated group, while portraying the dominant as standard. Ultimately, Mulan (2020) failed in the Chinese box office, receiving negative feedback on Douban (Yali, Kaiju, 2021, pp. 84-5).


Conclusion

To summarise, Mulan (1998) engaged with the prominent feminist talking points of third-wave feminism, namely the inclusion of strong and independent female-led narratives, but was undercut by sexist and androcentric dialogue, along with stereotypical representations of gender/ethnicity. Meanwhile, Mulan (2020) gave the protagonist pseudo-superpowers that undermined her achievements, and showcased her bowing to male oppressors that forbade her from using Chi. Both films engaged with Chinese culture, but through an orientalist lens, misrepresenting Eastern themes and traditions, as well as attributing negative traits (sexism) to China. Ultimately, neither can be considered truly a feminist success nor an accurate representation of Chinese culture.


Appendix

Appendix 1a: Mulan, live-action and animated films, (1998-2020)
Appendix 1a: Mulan, live-action and animated films, (1998-2020)
Appendix 1b: Statistic1, Sexist Language (Begum)
Appendix 1b: Statistic1, Sexist Language (Begum)
Appendix1c: Statistic2, Dialogue Spoken (Begum)
Appendix1c: Statistic2, Dialogue Spoken (Begum)
Appendix2a: Scene1, Chien Po, Yao, and Ling (Mulan 2020)
Appendix2a: Scene1, Chien Po, Yao, and Ling (Mulan 2020)
Appendix2b: Statistic3, Colours by Emotion, (Jonauskaite & Mohr)
Appendix2b: Statistic3, Colours by Emotion, (Jonauskaite & Mohr)
Appendix2c: Scene2, martial arts (Mulan 2020)
Appendix2c: Scene2, martial arts (Mulan 2020)
Appendix3a: Scene3, inkbrush painting, (Mulan 1998)
Appendix3a: Scene3, inkbrush painting, (Mulan 1998)

Bibliography

  1. Abbott, A. J., 2020. Mulan 2020 vs. Mulan 1998: The Differences & Similarities. [Online] Available at: https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/mulan-differences-2020-live-action-1998-animated-movies/[Accessed 23 5 2023].

  2. Anjirbag, M. A., 2018. Mulan and Moana: Embedded Coloniality and the Search for Authenticity in Disney Animated Film. Social Sciences , 7(11), pp. 2-3.

  3. April H. Bailey, M. L. J. F. D., 2020. Implicit androcentrism: Men are human, women are gendered. Journal of Experimental Social Psycholog, 89(0022-1031), p. 1.

  4. Aragay, M., 2005. Reflection to Reflection: Adaptation Studies Then and Now. In:

    M. Aragay, ed. Books in Motion: Adaptation, Intertextuality, Authorship. New York, Amsterdam: Rodopi B.V., pp. 12-13.

     —., 2005. Reflection to Reflection: Adaptation Studies Then and Now. In: M. Aragay, ed. Books in Motion: Adaptation, Intertextuality, Authorship. New York, Amsterdam: Rodopi B.V., pp. 19-20.

  5. BBC., 2020. Disney criticised for filming Mulan in China's Xinjiang province. [Online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-54064654[Accessed 29 5 2023].

  6. Begum, S., 2022. He Said, She Said: A Critical Content Analysis of Sexist language. Journal of International Womens Studies, 23(1), pp. 209 - 222.

    Berkowsky, D. B., 2014. The Difference Between Life and Death: Vital Force/Chi. [Online] Available at: https://naturalhealthscience.com/the-difference-between-life-and-death-vital-force-chi/[Accessed 2023 5 2023].

  7. Cheng Yali, C. K., 2021. Appropriation, Rewriting and Alienation: A Postcolonial Critique of Mulan. International Journal of Social Science Studies, 9(3), pp. 84-5.

  8. Ching, G., 2020. Mulan: The Real History of the Chinese Legend. [Online] Available at: https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/mulan-real-history-chinese-legend/[Accessed 28 5 2023].

  9. Christine Mohr, P. D. J. P., 2022. Why Links Between Colors and Emotions May Be Universal. [Online] Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/color-psychology/202202/why-links-between-colors-and-emotions-may-be-universal[Accessed 15 5 2023].

  10. Gallagher, S., 2020. Mulan 2020 vs. Mulan 1998: The Differences & Similarities. [Online] Available at: https://screenrant.com/mulan-live-action-movie-ending-explained-real-meaning/#:~:text=Part%20of%20the%20reason%20Mulan%20left%20animated%20character,is%20also%20more%20broadly%20a%20symbol%20of%20uniqueness.[Accessed 29 5 2023].

  11. Harris, C. A., 2017. Androcentric language perpetuates stereotypes. [Online] Available at: https://www.parlia.com/a/androcentric-language-perpetuates-stereotypes[Accessed 22 5 2022].

  12. IMDb., 1998. Mulan. [Online] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120762/[Accessed 27 5 2023].

  13. Ivy Haoyin Hsieh, M. M. M., 2012. Filial Daughter, Woman Warrior, or Identity-Seeking Filial Daughter, Woman Warrior, or Identity-Seeking Through Mulan. Children’s Literature in Education, 43(3), pp. 215-16.

     —. Filial Daughter, Woman Warrior, or Identity-Seeking Filial Daughter, Woman Warrior, or Identity-Seeking Through Mulan. Children’s Literature in Education, 43(3), pp. 218-19.

  14. Jia, Q., 2021. Cultural Difference: Ancient China in Western Film. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research,, 559(2352-5398), pp. 391-2.

  15. King, C. L.-L. C. &. B.-L., 2010. Chapter 03. “LOOK OUT NEW WORLD, HERE WE COME”?. In: J. Feagin, ed. Animating Difference : Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Contemporary Films for Children. Lanham, Boulder, New York, Toronto, Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., p. 37.

  16.  —. Chapter 06. BEYOND SNOW WHITE. In: J. Feagin, ed. Animating Difference: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Contemporary Films for Children. Lanham, Boulder, New York, Toronto, Plymouth : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, p. 100.

  17.  —. Chapter 06. BEYOND SNOW WHITE. In: J. Feagin, ed. Animating Difference : Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Contemporary Films for Children. Lanham, Boulder, New York, Toronto, Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, pp. 102-103.

  18.  —. Chapter 09. COMING ATTRACTIONS. In: J. Feagin, ed. Animating Difference: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Contemporary Films for Children. Lanham, Boulder, New York, Toronto, Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, p. 166.

  19. Lily., 2022. Chinese Culture Reflected in Disney’s Mulan 2020. [Online] Available at: https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/article-movie-chinese-culture-in-mulan.htm?utm content=cmp-true[Accessed 24 5 2023].

  20. Linda Hutcheon, S. O., 2013. Familiarity and Contempt . In: W. Germano, ed. A Theory of Adaptation. London, New York: Routledge , p. 4.

  21. Marrian, L., 2020. Mulan: 10 Biggest Differences The Disney Movies Made To The Original Poem. [Online] Available at: https://screenrant.com/disney-mulan-film-poem-differences/#they-took-away-mulan-s-siblings[Accessed 16 5 2023].

  22. Mulan. 1998. [Film] Directed by Tony Bancroft Barry Cook. United States: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Feature Animation.

  23. Mulan. 2020. [Film] Directed by Niki Caro. United States: Walt Disney Pictures, Jason T. Reed Productions, Good Fear Productions.

  24. Paul Martin, P. P., 2017. Who stands for the norm? The place of metonymy inandrocentric language. SOCIAL SEMIOTICS, 27(1), p. 40.

    Robert Stam, A. R., 2004. Introduction: The theory and practice of adaptation.. In: A. R. Robert Stam, ed. Literature and film; a guide to the theory and practice of film adaptation. New York: Blackwell, pp. 3-4.

  25. Tanco, J., 2020. Disney’s Mulans: An Ultimately Western Take On Chinese Culture. [Online] Available at: https://www.chinoy.tv/disneys-mulans-an-ultimately-western-take-on-chinese-culture/[Accessed 16 5 2023].

  26. Wang, Z., 2021. From Mulan (1998) to Mulan (2020): Disney Conventions, Cross-Cultural Feminist Intervention, and a Compromised Progress. Arts, 11(5), pp. 1-2.

  27.  —., 2021. From Mulan (1998) to Mulan (2020): Disney Conventions, Cross-Cultural Feminist Intervention, and a Compromised Progress. Arts, 11(5), p. 9.

  28. Ying, J., 2011. POPULAR CULTURE AND PUBLIC IMAGINARY: DISNEY VS. CHINESE STORIES OF MULAN. javnost - the public, 18(1), p. 64.

  29. Young, J., 2020. The problem with Mulan: why the live-action remake is a lightning rod for controversy. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/sep/07/mulan-disney-live-action-remake-hong-kong-china[Accessed 29 5 2023].

  30. Zhao, X. J., 2020. EVERYTHING CULTURALLY RIGHT AND WRONG WITH MULAN 1998. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SHC7CnmErM[Accessed 27 5 2023].

    Zhao, X. J., 2020. EVERYTHING CULTURALLY WRONG WITH MULAN 2020 (And How They Could've Been Fixed). [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3QKq24e0HM[Accessed 22 5 2023].

     

     

     

     


 
 
 

Comments

  • LinkedIn
  • Blogger
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
bottom of page